"Wait! Stay right there!!!"
Xu Nian'an's voice was full of panic, with just a hint of cracking.
He'd thought there'd be a beautiful sight beneath the other man's bathrobe.
He hadn't expected... hadn't expected this. Damn, my eyes are tainted. What the hell!
Xu Nian'an was devastated.
No, wait. This shouldn't be right.
Douluo Calendar, year 2625.
The child of destiny—certain someone—hadn't been born yet, and the Clear Sky Sect hadn't gone into seclusion. The continent was still in the Warring States era, but it was getting close.
Going by the plot, he was probably six years older than certain someone, while Qian Renxue should have been about nine or ten years older.
What's more, Long Xiaoyao had said that among the people Xue Qinghe brought this time were two Titled Douluo.
Wasn't that basically saying, by another name, that Xue Qinghe was Qian Renxue?
After all, the current Heaven Dou Empire didn't have any Titled Douluo, let alone two at once.
Xu Nian'an's face was deathly pale, as if he'd just lived through something terrifying.
Damn it, he'd nearly lost his chrysanthemum.
Who could've guessed that Xue Qinghe wasn't Qian Renxue, but was actually the real Xue Qinghe?
This was... truly awful.
The timing, all those subtle expressions and clues—they'd all pointed to Xue Qinghe being Qian Renxue. And now he was being told that Xue Qinghe was a man, the real Xue Qinghe.
Damn it all~!
Xu Nian'an, still naked, sprinted out of the bathroom.
He couldn't stand to stay inside another moment.
Behind him, Xue Qinghe stared in utter confusion.
"Hey! Cousin, your bathrobe! Your bathrobe!!!"
A moment later, Xu Nian'an came running out of the bathroom, stark naked, right in front of the many palace maids.
A flurry of movement—
When the maids of the Great Ming Kingdom saw Xu Nian'an emerge naked, they all dropped to their knees. Only one maid dressed in Heaven Dou attire stood there, looking around in confusion, unsure what to do.
Before she could decide whether to kneel or not, Xu Nian'an darted behind her.
"Hey, Cousin, be good. Be good and put on your bathrobe, or you'll... you'll get sick!"
Xue Qinghe hurried after him.
"You... you... don't come any closer!"
"Stay right there! Don't come over!"
Xu Nian'an looked terrified as the two of them began circling the maid.
Xu Nian'an was quick. With a hundred-thousand-year First Soul Ring boosting him, his physique seemed far superior to Xue Qinghe's, who had spent his life deep in the palace and was already in his teens, yet had only a few levels of Soul Power.
No matter what, Xue Qinghe couldn't catch him.
Xue Qinghe glanced at the maid from the Heaven Dou Empire and sighed helplessly.
"Fine. Xiao Xue, go help my cousin put on his bathrobe."
When the two finally stopped, the maid let out a breath of relief and took the bathrobe.
Her dazed gaze met Xu Nian'an's somewhat panicked one.
Huff, huff—
"Finally, they stopped."
Seeing them pause, Xu Nian'an began to pant lightly. What the hell—he'd nearly gotten himself skewered by a French black rod.
Good thing he'd been fast.
Once he'd calmed down, Xu Nian'an rolled his eyes and looked at the maid helping him into his bathrobe.
A little blonde girl with her eyes closed, her face full of youthful plumpness. She'd look adorable with twin ponytails... Where in the Great Ming Palace did you find a little girl like this?
They were all mature older sisters.
Wait... something didn't seem right.
Xue Qinghe had just called her Xiao Xue... Going by the timeline, Qian Renxue should be undercover by Xue Qinghe's side already. Otherwise, Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo wouldn't be here.
Since Xue Qinghe hadn't been replaced by Qian Renxue yet, Qian Renxue must be hiding by his side now. For example... as this maid!!!
With the threat of that French black rod gone, Xu Nian'an's intelligence once again took the high ground.
Once the maid Xue Qinghe had called Xiao Xue finished helping him into his bathrobe, Xu Nian'an grabbed her chin.
"Mm... ah... Your Highness, no... please..."
Hearing Xiao Xue cry out behind him, Xue Qinghe turned around in confusion.
"What's this...?"
"Cousin, I'm sorry. My maid's a little clumsy. I'll take her back and make sure she's properly disciplined."
Seeing that Xiao Xue seemed to have gotten into a scuffle with Xu Nian'an, Xue Qinghe immediately stepped forward to defend her.
Xu Nian'an narrowed his eyes.
It seemed this maid was important to Xue Qinghe.
"It's nothing. I just saw how young and beautiful all the maids by Cousin's side are, and I couldn't help feeling envious."
He released her chin and looked at her again.
"How about staying by my side?"
There was no childishness left in Xu Nian'an's voice. His eyes and expression were utterly serious.
Xue Qinghe narrowed his eyes.
Cousin liked Xiao Xue. If he could use her to win a vassal king's wholehearted support... it was a bargain.
Xue Qinghe smiled and spoke slowly.
"Xiao Xue is one of the finest maids in my palace. To ask for her outright, Cousin, isn't that a little..."
Xu Nian'an looked away from Xue Qinghe.
Now that he knew the other man wasn't Qian Renxue, Xu Nian'an naturally felt much less enthusiasm.
"Don't worry. I won't let you lose out, and I won't mistreat your maid."
"If she stays by my side, I'll make her my consort!"
For a maid, Xu Nian'an's offer was the equivalent of a sparrow taking flight and becoming a phoenix.
Even now, Xu Nian'an was still testing her.
If this maid named Xiao Xue wasn't Qian Renxue, he could simply take back his offer to make her his consort and politely decline, saying he didn't want to take someone else's beloved.
But if Xiao Xue really was Qian Renxue in disguise, she would definitely... refuse his request.
Xu Nian'an stared intently at Xiao Xue.
The atmosphere grew delicate.
"Sure. Why not?"
Before Xiao Xue could speak, Xue Qinghe answered first.
To him, Xiao Xue was just a maid he happened to like.
Giving her to Xu Nian'an would win over a kingdom with considerable military strength. It was worth it.
At Xue Qinghe's words, Xiao Xue's face went pale.
Thump!
She dropped to her knees before Xue Qinghe, saying nothing, her eyes reddening.
"Cousin, more than your gift, I'd like to hear what this Xiao Xue thinks."
After receiving Xue Qinghe's signal, Xiao Xue spoke.
"Xiao Xue still wishes to stay by the First Prince's side and serve him!"
Xu Nian'an's pupils contracted sharply.
Her identity was all but confirmed. This Xiao Xue was Qian Renxue. At this point in time, she was still carefully studying Xue Qinghe's every gesture and word.
This period of study would last about a year. In other words, his cousin didn't have much time left to live.
"I like this maid very much. I hope Cousin won't hold it against her when you return. As for the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, you have my full support."
Right in front of Qian Renxue, Xu Nian'an began to voice his support for Xue Qinghe, assuring him that he could treat Xu Nian'an as a trusted confidant and point him wherever he pleased.
Of course, that was only a verbal promise. Whether he'd keep it was another matter.
A week later.
Xue Qinghe completed his mission and prepared to return.
"Cousin, I really do like your maid. Next time you come to Heaven Dou, I hope you can talk her into it for me. My East Sea may be remote, but we're certainly not lacking in strength."
Xue Qinghe patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry. Next time you visit Heaven Dou, Cousin will have everything arranged."
After the caravan left the palace, the smile on Xu Nian'an's face faded a little.
"Finally, they're gone."
Now all he had to do was wait for the Heaven Dou Empire to make its move.
"Report~!!!! An urgent dispatch from a hundred li away!"
[Your servant, Xu Yi, has followed Your Majesty's orders to build high walls and stockpile grain, in order to repel future invasions by the Galloping Wolf Kingdom and the Star Luo Empire!]
Douluo Calendar 25... June 7.
The Heaven Dou Empire announced to the entire continent that it had bestowed the title of King Ming upon Xu Nian'an, king of the East Sea Great Ming Kingdom!
At the same time, it incorporated all the Great Ming Kingdom's territory into the Heaven Dou Empire, giving it an unprecedentedly vast domain!
Ming King Hall.
Looking at the Imperial Edict in his hand, Xu Nian'an tossed it onto the ground and stepped on it.
"Pass down my order!"
"March south and conquer the Galloping Wolf Kingdom!!!"